[9.0] "This may be one of the more underrated matches of the year after rewatching it this morning. Holy smokes. Rewatching from a different lense now that I watch wrestling much more intently now, I can't believe I really didn't rate this match like that when I first watched stand and deliver. The in ring story telling, the physicality, Ilja's intensity and fire against Tony D's power. Tony wanting to win this the right way by not using the brass knuckles after one of his partners tried to hand it to him. There so many little details that went over my head that made this match incredible. Ilja is 1 of 1. ****1/4"
[8.0] "A standout match in D'Angelo's catalogue. That's what Ilja does; bringing the best out of anyone he gets to work with. Good storytelling with D'Angelo's family ringside adding some tension and Tony going the honorable route. The psychology is on point, D'Angelo's work on Ilja's pre-injured hand is solid and of course Ilja sells the shit out of it, which I personnaly enjoy. The action is quite solid as well, and D'Angelo actually goes out on a strong note. ***3/4"
[7.0] "Ilja overselling the shit out of his hand, NXT talking lore, and STACKS lore were all the mandatory hinderances NXT has to thrust upon its matches but honestly it was all manageable and this ended up being really good! Ilja's striking style is just so engaging and fun man and he had great chemistry with D'Angelo. I don't think I've watched a single Tony D'Angelo match since he fought Ciampa and he exceeded my expectations. He's got a hell of a belly to belly suplex thats for sure. ***1/2"
[5.0] "WWE isn't known for being the most subtle entertainment business but they can tell Ilja to tone it down. I get that it hurts but Ilja tries to make the moment feel worse than it is, often to its detriment. The story revolves around Ilja's damaged fingers, but it doesn't last long as both forget that it is what they built around. Tony has a good look, and can talk but has yet to prove that he can go in the ring. This should've been his coming out party but outside the beating he got from Ilja, none of his input made me want to see more. A few points for the suplexes."
[9.0] "Easily Tony D'Angelo's best singles matches of all time. Ilja Dragunov made Tony look like a million bucks here. It was obvious he wasn't gonna win, but there were I think two moments where I thought Tony was gonna win."
[9.0] "****1/2 (09/10) This was a case of a match that (on any other night, on any other card) would have been the match of the night. This was also a case of a match that should have been the main event, though I don't consider it the best fight from the card. And considering how many bangers that fell before the penultimate match on the card - which were all the matches on the card, actually - they did a hell of a job delivering a stiff wrecking crew of a smashdown between the don and the mad scientist, the mad man, the mad dragon!"
[8.0] "I thought the storyline was great and the match was also really good but didn't live up to the story it was telling. It was still an amazing match and a fantastic showing from Dragunov who was an amazing NXT Champion and Tony D really proved he can do good as a singles wrestler. Overall I enjoyed this match and it was a good rewatch."
[5.0] "[**1/4] Ilja Dragunov overdoses the funny faces but he is a very good worker and, let's face it, he's not exactly in a promotion known for it's subtlety. In this match though, ad hard as he worked, it was like he was wrestling a sack of spuds! I was not very impressed by Tony D'Angelo. Dragunov made it work to extent, but it would have been greatly improved by shaving a few minutes off."
[8.0] "The vibes were tremendous here. Ive loved the clips of Ilja and Tony D engaging in their tribute to Mafia movies, its brought out a lot of Iljas personality outside of the ferocity of his matches and they built upon it brilliantly with a frenzied start to affairs. It was a brutal match with some great spots, especially the H bomb through the table which looked absolutely majestic, and Tony D looked very strong in defeat. It honestly had the energy of something that should have main evented, which became more apparent after the actual main event occurred. Great match and I hope Ilja holds the belt for ages."
[7.0] "[3.5*] I loved the structure of this match. Tony D really proved that he belongs on the main event scene with his performance. The feud was very good and the match delivered a lot. I loved when Tony refused to use the brass-knuckles because he wanted to show that he is a good leader. A ton of psychology and Ilja needed a Torpedo Moscow + Super H-Bomb to win."
[8.0] "This match was simple, but perfectly wrestled. They delivered everything that a match needs, stiff moves, a great story and cool spots, the crowd did a deserved ovation at the end, this was very good indeed. Dragunov as the dominant champ, never thought Tony D could win, and the dynamic where Tony refuses the help to keep getting a beat and Ilja even kisses him or something like that, trying to wake him up and give him some spirit, is beautiful. That was the story the whole match, they even cleared the table together, Dragunov wanted to win, but he wanted to have a real and honest fight first. The nearfall was excellent - {***3/4}"
[7.0] "That was a fight. No way was D'Angelo gonna walk out as the Champion in a fair fight against Ilja, On paper, this seemed to be a mismatched, Tony would need his goons to help him beat Dragunov but Tony refused outside help, he took the fight to the Champion , he held his own very well I might add. Tony showed a gritty and tough side of his that you don't see too often, his bite was az good as his bark and Ilja had to dig deep to try and put away the challenger. Ilja hurt his hand and it hindered him but the Mad Dragon fought through the pain and in Dragunov fashion put himself in pain to put the hurt on the challenger. I am surprised the way this match turned out and that there were no shenanigans, it could be a bit overdramatic at times but for the most part this was a well laid out match with solid storytelling and an intense fight feel. ***3/4"
[9.0] "Dragunov didn't had that many most likely nor worthy opponents to face during his time as NXT Champion and D'Angelo is one of them, but this turned out to be a sleeper hit and a real fantastic match."
[8.0] "Of all the matches getting praise from WWE this weekend, it's baffling to me that this isn't one of them. Ilja's performance selling the hand, playing his soviet warrior persona was genuinely the most captivating, if not the best performance I've seen from the Mad Dragon. And Tony was more than game too, His performance is nowhere near the level of Ilja, but he brings the fight at times, and plays his character interestingly too, refusing to take the brass knucks, and being adamant that he wanted to fight Ilja. And I'll reiterate that they did fight. Loved the punches being thrown by Tony, the Ospreay-esque grounded elbows from Ilja, and his wails every time he had to use his hand. A hidden masterpiece, and I'm baffled that this took place in NXT of all places. EDIT: 4.25 Stars. I stand by what I said."
[8.0] "This was a really fun match. Both men brought intensity and the match could have honestly gone either way. Tony refusing to cheat established that he isnt a heel which was nice. However Ilja still retained and the two showed mutual respect after the match."
[7.0] "A very solid match that was definitely carried by Dragunov. Highly intense with some cool spots like them both clearing off the announce table at the same time and a couple of nasty looking H Bombs that Tony took really well. Ilya is incredible and going to do big things on the main roster, meanwhile Tony D is solid but should probably be in NXT for at least another year until he is called up. 3 stars at least."
[6.0] "It was always gonna be good and it delivered some good entertainment but nothing shockingly amazing. Good showing for both men but was sort of overshadowed by how it wasnt the main event."
[8.0] "Watched this to see what Dragunov can do with someone that isn't on his level and yeah this dude is just the guy. Tony isn't bad but he's not main event title-level (even when the belt isn't the main event of the show), and yet Dragunov's beatdowns and selling are both so excellent that this rough gangster gimmick fit perfectly into his formula. It's a bit slow to start to be fair, but once Tony refused the knuckles and Ilja stomped that dude's hand it kicked up a little. It got stiffer and Tony's "I need to do this honorably" face turn story was basic but told well, and them working together to strip the table knowing they were going to go for it ruled, as did the H-Bomb through it. A very strong title match. ***3/4+"
[7.0] "Another really solid match for the show, though I don't seem to have liked this as much as others. It was definitely a strong 7/10 for me (AKA 3.75/5 or 7.5/10), though it doesn't get to the 8/10. For sure, though, this was D'Angelo's best Singles Match of his career. Dragunov is just on another level."
[8.0] "Dragunov just cannot have a bad match it is impossible. Dont let that statement take anything away from Tony D here either he held his own in the ring during this match as well. Lots of good spots and close calls but I am confused by Tony Ds representation as a heel. The family was being used as heels through the entire build up to this match, build up that I thought was cinematic and great. But when we get to Stand and Deliver, Tony D has a new theme and everything, yet does not want to be a heel anymore, seemed kind of weird and I think the match would have been better with more shenanigans making it seem like Ilja was overcoming rather than just winning. (8/10)"
[6.0] "Dragunov tried hard here and I thought the match had a reasonable layout but there's nothing there with D'Angelo and whatever they might have had was bogged down by the acting that they insist on in the Shawn Michaels-verse."
[8.0] "Another great match from this Stand & Deliver, which has proven to be the unexpected smash hit of Wrestlemania weekend. Ilja is always great but Tony D really held his end of the bargain here, chucking Ilja around with suplexes. The super H-Bomb through the table and the one from the top rope were great. I worry for Dragunov I really do. He's completely insane but it makes for very entertaining wrestling matches. Interesting character development with Tony avoiding the brass knuckles. A face turn?"
[8.0] "I don't know why this isn't the highest rated match on the show z the triple threat match between Oba Dijak and Briggs was a absolute big man classic , they beat the hell out of each other and it might be one of the best north american championship matches. That's to show how good this match was , this was an absolute war in my opinion even more of a war then the triple threat , Dragunov and D'angelo were beating the life out of each other since the opening of the match , from the chops from Dragunov , the punches from D'angelo , the torpedo Moscow to the back of the head. The h bomb through the table , and the h bomb at the finish , this was incredible. Barn burner classic , if Stacks didn't interfere this would of gotten a 10 , what a match and what a damn war from the start to the finish."
[8.0] "More like Stand and Overdeliver. Wasn't expecting much from this despite Ilja being one of the best wrestlers today but I'll never underestimate him again. And props to Tony D for showing he can hang."
[6.0] "[3.5*] Really good match, Dragunov's slaps were good and his H-Bomb was sensational, he broke the commentators' table with a sensational H-Bomb on Tony D. The storytelling was also interesting with D'Angelo refusing to use brass knuckles in some moments. Overall it was a pretty cool match, and Dragunov's reign still needs some real threat."
[8.0] "Like usual, Ilja delivers a good match. He can really do no wrong. I was surprised a lot by Tony here as well. I was unfamiliar with him before this match, but Im sold. He really held his own against Dragunov, and I thought he was going to win. I liked the honor angle where he denied the brass knuckles, and that H-Bomb table spot was nuts. Good stuff."
[8.0] "Loved the psychology in this one. Ilja's hand giving him trouble and Tony wanting to do everything himself. Pretty hard hitting and had some great moments."
[8.0] "This was my first time seeing Ilja defend the title live and I was not disappointed. Personally this match flow is perfect to me, they let things breathe while also pulling out all the stops to make this match a big deal. And they succeeded! This match from start to stop always had me thinking about what could be next move wise. It was just a good match!"
[7.0] "Not Ilja's best work but it was still a good match, Tony D actually looked really solid here and told the story of wanting to win fair. Highlight of the match was the H-Bomb through the announce table, the H-Bomb is a strange move though and relies a lot on who is selling it so the finish wasnt my favorite"
[6.0] "Its difficult to even formulate a thought here. As expected, this was not on the level of Ilyas fights with Hayes or even with Trick. But it was no worse than the level with Corbyn. I don't know if this can be considered praise for Tony D, but it is. D'Angelo is still a weak singles wrestler. He is a good character, has charisma, but in the ring he is too monotonous. At the same time, Ilya worked with a bang, as always, and his selling was always at the highest level. Many people praise the fight for its psychology, but I watched it twice and still couldnt feel anything. In any case, it was probably even better than I expected."
[8.0] "Match of Tony D's career so far, I know a huge amount of the praise is rightly going to Ilja, but Tony D absolutely carried his part. But God Dragunov is just one of the best on the planet"
[6.0] "The worst title defence in Dragunov's title reign, The match booking wasn't good. Dragunov tried his best to carry Tony. I had higher hopes for the match but it failed to deliver. I hope Dragunov and Tony don't continue the feud and move on to new title challengers"
[9.0] "Probably the best Tony D singles match ever, they didn't work the typical NXT Title match, but they worked this like a brawl that ended up being a really fun match"
[7.0] "This was the best match of the show and a great one with very good storytelling and performance from both workers. D'Angelo broke Dragunov's hand and his strategy was to exploit it at his advantage and win the most prestigious belt of NXT, Dragunov had a really smart selling all along and D'Angelo looked like a threat in this match. This wasn't only about a really good limb work but also some pretty interesting psychology and storytelling, the fact D'Angelo didn't want his family to help him because he wants to make a statement by winning the championship on his own - ***3/4"
[8.0] "Really enjoyed the character moments in this. Ilja delivering pure punishment to Tony for daring to step in the ring with him, and him toying with the other family members, daring them to do something. Wasnt sure about Tony suddenly deciding he wants a fair fight since hes had no problem with that sort of thing before. Makes sense given the respectful direction the end of this match took. Match itself was great, slow to start with but got real fun real quick! There was a spot through an announce table that looked fantastic."
[7.0] "Good match for the NXT Championship. The match got off to a fairly slow start and it stayed that way for a while. Neither guy had the advantage during this time, it was evenly matched. Dragunov did a good job selling his injured hand. The Family tried to cheat multiple times, but Tony D told them to back off and he wanted to do this by himself. It's an odd character moment since before their match Tony was okay trying to hurt Dragunov, but I guess he's an honorable mob boss now. The last few minutes of the match things really picked up with the big moves and nearfalls. Dragunov hit an awesome H Bomb through the announce table. Tony put up a strong last stand with a final flurry of offense, but it wasn't enough. Dragunov got the win with a Torpedo Moskau to the back of the head followed by another H Bomb from the top rope. Dragunov retaining is the right move. 7/10"
[9.0] "I may be a sucker for Ilja Dragunov but he really can make any match look so good. Tony D definitely has some improving to do as a singles wrestler but when you match his character with IIja, it's money. His selling of his hand was fantastic. I wasn't too excited for this match if I'm being honest but I shouldn't doubt IIja ever again. I really like how Tony refused help from The Family and refused taking the knuckle thing (I forgot what they're called). But seeing that Tony wanted to fight on his own without help is a good touch for his character going forward. Awesome match from both and can't wait to see Tony grow as a performer and excited to see IIja dominate NXT."
[8.0] "This match showed why Ilja is a tier above everyone in NXT. I like Tony D, and what he lacks in between the ropes, he makes up for with an engaging character. While this didn't reach the heights of Trick-Ijla from earlier this year, this was still a good match. At this point, HBK may want to strap Ilja to the PC for as long as he can because he is absolute champagne in the ring, a Rolls-Royce of a wrestler. Stiff strikes by both men and excellent selling by the Mad Dragon, using his off-hand for most of the match and making sure we knew the pain he was in and the adrenaline coursing through him with every strike with the injured one. It won't be talked about as a classic, but both men can be proud of the effort put in. 8/10."
[8.0] "This match was pretty good, Ilja did a good job at selling his hand 'injury' while still looking dominant. Tony put on, in my opinion, one of the best matches of his career so far. Tony showed to be a fitting challenger besides the sudden feeling of the challenge & match being put together, hopefully we get to see these two meet again in the future for the title because this match was fun. I liked that the other members of 'The Family' didn't get involved besides the two attempts by 'Stacks', but Tony wanted to keep it fair and that ultimately led to his loss. Maybe in a rematch Tony won't play as nicely and that could get him the win, who knows, I guess we'll have to wait and see if they meet again and how it plays out. [****]"
[8.0] "For a title defense of Ilja you are used to other kind of fights, but this time the story behind has had a lot to do and I liked the development even if it was a little strange, but well, I liked the fight and it was very good the way Tony D'Angelo has faced Ilja because the truth is that his credibility, in my point of view, was not so much for such an opponent, in fact I think that's why the Hayes vs Still, very good fight, which for me has also been one of the best of this event. I hope they keep building great things for Ilja or better take him to the main roster, he's a great fighter."
[7.0] "This was pretty good although not much better from the previous match. This one however did have a faster pace and it just felt more personal than the womens match. It had more spark and heat to it. Not really familiar with Deangelo but dragonouv is one of the best in the wwe so I know he can at least guide him to a solid match which he did. I did like Deangelo telling his family not to get involved in the match and to leave it up to just him I thought that was good. The action overall was just solid didnt reach that next level tho. 3.5/5"
[9.0] "I thought this match was an absolute banger as almost all Ilja matches are. I dont love Tony Dangelo, but he performed in this match, the power bomb off the top rope Ilja move was insane, and the way he sold some of the H bombs looked really good. I liked the spot where both Tony, and Ilja stripped the table, followed by the Ilja H bomb through the table. I never thought Tony had a chance going into this, but some of the kick outs made me feel like he did. Absolute banger finish, and a great match that went above my expectations."
[8.0] "Great match. Dragunov just cant go wrong in his title defenses. Every single one has been good. Here, DAngelo gave him a run for his money. I did think that it was little slow at times and it took a bit too long to get going, but once they got going, they got going. I liked how Tony didnt want to cheat to win or get any help from Stacks because it was his fight. Ultimately, that is what costed him the win. I thought that Dragunov did excellent here as always with his selling. It just reaffirms the idea that hes the best seller in the business. The finish was great. It kept Tony strong since Dragunov had to do a super finisher in order to get the job done. All-in-all a great match that lived up to expectations. 8/10. ****"
[6.0] "Baffled by the love for this so far. Never seen a Tony match before and both his look and in-ring work just came across as totally average. The pre-match promos were corny but at least entertaining, but then his actual work wasn't entertaining at all. Dragunov is obviously great and carried this to a passable match, but besides the obligatory commentator's table spot there wasn't really anything to get excited about in my opinion. Unfortunately this wasn't a performance that makes me see Tony in the main event scene again any time soon. ***"
[9.0] "The usual ilja match, which is amazing. Destruction, crazy moments and a psycopath like Dragunov doing the best wrestling with whoever opponent he has. Is insane how consistent he is, how he can get the best out of everyone, and this was so phisical, so destructive, a joy from start to finish than even with not much build showed an absolutely incredible moment. Ilja won, as he should, but Tonny looked so good, him not wanting to cheat was also a cool moment, and overall a crazy good match with the right finish"
[8.0] "Dragunov really put in a lot of work selling his hand at the start of the match including that nasty chop to the ring post. I enjoyed the show of D'Angelo rejecting the brass knuckles but later in the match when Stacks hopped on the apron, it seemed awkward for D'Angelo to shout at him while being locked in a hold. Regardless, great work from both men in a match that was extremely physical. Dragunov hitting D'Angelo with countless H-Bombs really makes D'Angelo look tough while still selling the move as devastating. Dragunov has certainly been apart of some better matches, but this is still great nonetheless."
[8.0] "The buildup to this match was extremely intriguing, and I didn't anticipate an instant classic; all I rooted for was a breakout party for D'Angelo through the main event scene. Thanks to the intensity brought by both men, this match certainly became the party and let every one soak in his caliber. The moments were spot on, the action was equally delivered, and the emotions were expressed excellently. If it weren't now, the stars would certainly align for D'Angelo in the future, and Dragunov's reign has reached its peak here. 4 out of 5 stars!"
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